Maybe This Time
by acaudill0068
Summary: 'You want him to show you what hot, soapy, naked shower sex is like. You think I haven't noticed the sultry glances and the way you hide your flannel pajamas when he comes to visit. It's what Mercedes and I used to call The Puckerman Effect.'
1. Chapter 1

I don't own Glee.

*/*

New York is nothing like Lima. It's always loud and bustling but Rachel feels right at home. She can't walk out onto any one New York sidewalk without spotting a Chinese restaurant. She has her own little family in New York - her, Kurt, and Tina.

Blaine decided LA would be better for him than New York and, oddly, Kurt didn't seem as upset as would be expected when he got the news after Blaine's graduation. Mike and Tina are still going strong, even if he was accepted into a college in Ohio instead of Julliard like the two had planned.

The distance doesn't matter, though because Mike visits New York every chance he gets. Rachel doesn't even mind when he brings Sam and Puck along and the two boys crash on the living room floor while Mike bunks with Tina down the hall during Winter Break.

But Rachel does mind when she walks into the kitchen to get her morning tea and finds a half-naked Puck brushing his teeth over the kitchen sink she shares with Kurt and Tina in their three bedroom apartment they've somehow managed to afford the last few months.

"The bathroom is down the hall, Noah," She shoots a frown his way but he doesn't seem to care.

"Tina and Chang are getting freaky in the shower," His reply is muffled as he continues to brush. "Is that what you wear to sleep?" Puck's eyes take in her worn robe hanging loose in front of her that does very little to hide the fact she's wearing only a tank top and panties. Or that she isn't wearing a bra.

"It's my apartment, Puckerman; I'll wear what I want," She counters and raises her chin defiantly.

He chuckles and spits before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "I wasn't complaining, Berry."

She blushes slightly, mumbles 'thank you,' and hurries into Kurt's bedroom without even knocking. She even ignores that she _knows_ Puck is watching her backside as she storms off.

"Good morning," Kurt says when she plops down on his bed, holding her mug carefully between her hands. "Why are you blushing?"

"Sam's still passed out on the couch and, according to Puck, Mike and Tina are having sex in the shower. Puck's brushing his teeth in our kitchen sink, Kurt. I wash our vegetables there."

"That doesn't answer my question," He points out.

Rachel sighs after a long pause and says, "I wasn't even sure if people did that."

"Did what? Brush their teeth?" Kurt continues to file his nails from his spot on the bed.

"No," She grins wickedly. "Sex in the shower. It just sounds..."

"Dangerous?" He chuckles.

"Exciting," She replies and he raises his eyebrows. "And sexy and fun and something Rachel Berry would never do."

"So you and Finn...?" He looks up at her.

"Does hot, soapy, naked shower sex sound like something Finn would do?" Rachel questions. "I mean, I was lucky if he let me be on top once in a while."

"Okay, he's my step-brother, way too much information," He shakes his head. "I don't want to hear about you two getting naked together."

"Whatever," She rolls her eyes. "That was years ago anyway. I haven't spoken to Finn since-"

"Since your break-up freshman year," Kurt finishes for her.

"Right," Rachel nods. "Anyway, back on subject, Puck is messing up my kitchen and I want him out."

"No, you don't," He smiles. "You want him to show you what hot, soapy, naked shower sex is like. You think I haven't noticed the sultry glances and the way you hide your flannel pajamas when he comes to visit. But what I don't understand is why you two haven't just fucked already. It gets me all hot and bothered when I'm in the same _room_ as you two."

"Even if I did want Noah, _and I don't_, I wouldn't want him in the shower," She whispers harshly and crosses her arms.

"Don't worry, honey," He smirks.. "I've wanted him in the shower since I was sixteen and joined the football team. It's a fantasy everyone has when they meet Puck. It's what Mercedes and I used to call _The Puckerman Effect_."

"That's not a real thing," Rachel rolls her eyes.

"Puckerman says it best, Rachel, _'it's natural_,'" Kurt says and giggles when Rachel blushes.

*/*

Rachel's freaking out about some essay she has to write for one of her professors. Like, literally, she's throwing things at Sam right now because he accidentally deleted everything off her USB drive. Granted, she's only hurling soft objects at his face, but still, it's pretty hot.

Puck's missed this Rachel. The Rachel that could be pissed at you for weeks just because you ate the last of her cereal and didn't buy more. The Rachel that could hold a grudge for months, forget why she's upset in the first place, and continue to give you the cold shoulder. _That Rachel._ Sure, New York mellowed her out majorly, but it's good to see Crazy Rachel make an appearance every once in a while.

He hasn't seen this side of her in a very long time. It reminds him of the summer after their senior year of high school.

She'd come over to his house with a bottle of Apple Cider to celebrate her obvious acceptance into Julliard. She said she was having a nice dinner with her dads that night so it was okay to spend the rest of the afternoon in Noah's room. She giggled when he appeared in his doorway with two Dixie cups because he didn't have any wine glasses but she poured them the cider anyway and even made him say a nice toast.

It had been great until she noticed the college applications scattered all over his desk. The applications she said were the key to his future. The applications he never mailed off.

Puck braced himself for the Rachel Berry Spiel of how he was ruining his life and his chances of getting out of Lima. But it never came. She just swallowed thickly and left with the most pathetic look on her face that still made him wince when he thought about it. _She just left._

He could have dealt with her bitching at him. He would have preferred it, actually. Maybe that's why it hit him so hard.

He tried to call her the next day but she didn't answer. And when he got tired of hearing her voice mail he tried her house but, unfortunately, he was faced with her dads and they turned him away.

Puck didn't hear about Rachel until August when Mike told him she was gone. She'd left for New York with Kurt and hadn't even told him. All his friends were gone, save for Tina and Sam, who were just starting their senior year of high school.

It struck him hard then. She wasn't mad at him; she was disappointed in him. She was the only one who really believed in him. All of Rachel's advice about getting out of this town and making something of himself finally resonated with him. She spent months with him, helping him, and he'd thrown it all away by one stupid decision of not sending off those damn applications.

It didn't take long, though before Puck decided to prove everyone in Lima wrong. He applied, granted it was a little late, to the local community college and took a few core classes. He even gathered a few letters of recommendation from Mr. Schuester and Coach Bieste, and volunteered for a little while at the hospital his mom worked at by playing his guitar in the pediatric ward.

His college applications weren't that impressive but he sent a few off anyway. Most were to Universities in Ohio but he was hopeful enough to send one to NYU. He's pretty sure the reason for that was pretty clear at this point.

And when Rachel came home for Spring Break her first year, he actually had something to show her. That's how he ended up on her front porch with a bottle of sparkling cider and his two acceptance packages. It wasn't as awkward as he thought it might be. She practically threw her arms around him when he told her about his plans for the future. And when she pulled out two Dixie cups from one of the kitchen cabinets and offered him that amazing smile she let only a few select people see, his chest swelled and it made his own grin appear.

And then she kissed him. He was sprawled out on her bed and she had just finished her cheesy rendition of 'I Love Your Funny Face' when she fell onto the bed and rolled on top of him. He stopped laughing immediately and his hand reached up to push her hair back, revealing the small, shy smile gracing her lips.

In all fairness, he leaned up first, but he's positive she kissed him. If the way she whimpered when his hands snaked under her shirt or how she pulled gently at the hairs on the back of his neck was any indication, she_ wanted_ him to go further that night.

But he hadn't. She had pulled away when he was fumbling with the button of her jeans and admitted she was back with Finn. His body just went kind of numb and he ignored the hurt expression on Rachel's face when he pushed her off of him. He wasn't trying to hurt her but he really doesn't know what to think or what to say. So he doesn't say anything. He just grabbed his stuff and walked out of her room.

It's been pretty awkward between them since that night. Rachel likes to pretend as if it never happened and Puck just doesn't bring it up. It's easier that way.

Now, he's a junior at Case Western and she's a senior but he doesn't really know how they got_ here_. They only see each other every few months but they almost always find themselves with ragged breaths and swollen lips. It doesn't go past that, though; one or the other always ends it. And it's not like she's still a virgin. Puck knew all about how she gave it up to Finn. He knows she hasn't been celibate since Finn broke up with her during their sophomore year, either.

He thinks maybe they kind of rely on each other a little too much and they're afraid to take things further. That's why he never brought up the fact that he applied to NYU and actually _got in_. He was going to tell her but he didn't have chance that night during her Spring Break before she was kissing him and then bringing up Finn.

He never told anyone, actually. He threw it away as soon as he left her house that night.

* * *

><p>"That was my only saved copy!" Rachel screams. "I didn't have a chance to send it to my professor yet!"<p>

"I'm sorry, Rachel; I didn't mean to." Sam looks legitimately scared and Puck thinks he ought to be. Rachel may be small but her punches leave bruises. "I was just messing around on the internet and I guess I hit the wrong button. I-I didn't mean to."

Everyone goes silent and all eyes turn to Rachel. She purses her lips into a tight line and lets a deep breath out through her nose. Rachel shakes her head slightly and drops her arms to her sides.

"I'll just…" She furrows her brow. "I'll just cancel my audition in the morning and stay home to retype it. I should have time to get it sent in by tomorrow night."

No one says a word and she shuffles off to her room. Everyone knows how important the audition is tomorrow. Rachel got a call-back for a small Off-Broadway production and this is supposed to be her getting her foot in the door.

"Well," Kurt sighs. "I think everyone should just get some sleep. Puck has to catch his flight early in the morning and I need some beauty sleep. I'd appreciate it if everyone kept the noise to a minimum and please leave Rachel alone. She just needs some time to cool off but she'll be fine by morning."

Sam still looks guilty but settles down on the couch and Puck watches as everyone else slowly trudges off to their respective beds.

"Get some sleep, Puckerman," Sam yawns.

"Yea," Puck glances over to the computer and blows out a breath. _He_ knew how important this audition is to Rachel.

*/*

She doesn't want to get up in the morning. She can hear everyone moving around outside her bedroom but she really just wants to hide under her comforter all day. Her alarm clock goes off but Rachel just smacks the snooze button as hard as she can and buries her face in her pillow.

Finally, she trudges into the kitchen without even running her fingers through her hair and everyone looks over at her. Well, everyone but Puck. She tries not to think about the fact he left for the airport without even saying goodbye to her.

"Good morning," Kurt smiles cheerfully and Rachel throws a croissant at him. It hits the side of his head and he grumbles before rushing off to fix his hair.

"Winter Break is officially over," Tina sighs and kisses Mike on the lips. "I'm just glad Mike and Sam don't have to leave until tomorrow."

"So Noah did already leave." Rachel states flatly.

"Yea," Tina replies. "He wanted to talk to you before he left but you weren't up and he didn't want to wake you."

"Oh," Rachel chew on her bottom lip. "It would have been alright if he woke me. I mean, I wouldn't have been mad or anything."

"Right." Tina's smile is small but it taunts Rachel. "Well, he'll be landing in Ohio in a few hours. I'm sure he'll call," She pauses for a second and then glances towards the computer. "What about your audition?"

"I'm about to call and cancel," Rachel tells them quietly.

"I really am sorry, Rachel," Sam adds quickly.

"Me too," She says and moves towards the computer. Rachel yawns and scrolls through the document that was open on her computer, assuming it was just something Sam left open. "How…? Did one of you do this?"

"Do what?" Kurt questions when he walks back into the room.

Rachel doesn't reply as she skims through the document once more. It was her essay, well not _hers_, Sam had deleted hers, but it was an essay written around the assignment her professor had assigned.

"Puck was on that thing all night," Sam tells everyone. "I don't know what he was doing but the light from the screen kept me up for a few hours."

"Noah did this?" Rachel's voice is quiet and she isn't even sure if her friends heard.

The essay in front of her isn't as good as her original but it's better than nothing. Rachel isn't one for cheating but sending this in means she gets to go to her call-back.

Everyone is kind of confused when Rachel hurries into her bedroom and is out a few minutes later, dressed to leave.

"I'm going to my audition," Rachel replies to their confused expressions. "I'll send that report to my professor tonight. I have to hurry if I want to get across town in twenty minutes." Her smile is huge as she busies herself in the bathroom, trying to fix her hair and she finally just gives up and lets Kurt throw it into a cute ponytail.

The apartment door slams shut behind her and the four friends share a look.

"Looks like she owes Puckerman a huge thank you," Kurt smirks.

*/*

Okay, so Rachel doesn't get the part but she knows she made an impression on the producer. He said her voice was refreshing and while it sounded a bit scripted, Rachel has learned to take what she can get. And it's not like it wasn't good practice. At least now she knows what to expect on her next audition.

She sent her essay to her professor last night after a bit of tweaking and she knows it won't earn her an 'A' but it won't alter her grade dramatically, either so she's fine. Her college transcript was currently impeccable with a 3.78 GPA and getting a rare 'B' on something that isn't going to account for much of her final grade isn't going to hurt anything.

Her cell phone is heavy in her hands as she tries to decide whether or not to call Noah. She isn't sure exactly what time it was in Columbus but she dials the number anyway and he answers after just two rings.

"Make it quick," had been his response to answering his phone for years so Rachel isn't deterred when that's the first thing she hears. He probably didn't check the caller-ID in the first place.

"Noah, hi." She can't stop the smile that takes over her mouth and she shifts on the bed so she is under her comforter. "I meant to call yesterday but I got kind of busy and lost track of time."

"Oh," He seems distracted but she doesn't hear any noise in the background so she figures he's just in his dorm room. Or at least, she hopes he's in his dorm room.

"Mike and Sam left this morning. Tina's kind of upset but I think she's calmed down," Rachel rambles but tries to focus on why she really called him. "What are you doing?"

"Studying," His reply sounds tired and she tries to picture him in the dorm room he shares with his rather large, annoying roommate. She knows he isn't at his desk since it's probably covered with old papers so she imagines him propped up on his bed with his laptop balanced on his thighs and his phone wedged between his ear and shoulder. "What about you?"

"About to go to sleep," She isn't sure why her voice sounds so weird and she clears her throat. "So, uh, I went to that audition."

"That's great," He sounds genuine and she can tell he's focusing on her now instead of his laptop. "How'd it go?"

"As to be expected," She chuckles. "I wasn't exactly what they were looking for but the producer said he might have another part for me. I'm not sure if he was serious or just being nice."

"I'm sure you'll get lots of parts soon, Rachel; aren't you the one that said breaking into this business would be the hardest part? I mean, you've only been on one audition so far. Did you really think it'd be that easy? Besides, you like working towards your goals. It wouldn't be nearly as rewarding if the part was just handed to you, right?"

"Right." Something in her chest tightens and she clears her throat again. Maybe she's coming down with something. She'll just have to double her vitamin regimen tomorrow. And drink double the amount of herbal tea. She can't afford another case of laryngitis. "I really just called to thank you. You know, for the essay."

"You found that, huh?" She can practically see his smile and it makes her lips tug upwards.

"Yea," She takes a deep breath. "You didn't have to do that. It was written really well actually and I haven't gotten my grade back yet but I'm sure my professor will love it. So, thank you."

"No problem," His voice is muffled by the sound of a door slamming on his end of the line.

"Roommate?" She asks flatly.

"Yea, let me call you back in a few minutes, okay?" She can hear him moving off of his bed and she bit into her bottom lip. She doesn't want to hang up just yet. "Genius over here just showed up drunk. I'll call you back in ten minutes. Promise."

"Okay," She replies and he hangs up.

But he doesn't call back. And after watching the clock for fifty-seven minutes, she lets herself fall asleep.

*/*

A/N: I know I haven't been updating recently so I decided to post this little two-shot I had been working on before my accident. The second part is almost finished so it shouldn't be too long before I get that part up. And for my readers waiting for an update on the rest of my fics, I'm currently working on the next chapter of Reach for the Stars and Suburbia, but I can't really make a promise of when those will be posted.

Thanks for reading and don't forget to please leave me a review.


	2. Chapter 2

I don't own Glee.

*/*

Rachel's mad at him and he doesn't even know why. Well, actually he does but it's a stupid reason. She's been ignoring his calls for days and it's not like he meant to forget to call her. He just got busy. His roommate started hurling everywhere and it took awhile to clean that shit up. And by the time he finished it was really late and he knew she should get some sleep. He was doing her a favor.

Apparently, she doesn't see it that way so that's why he's been getting her voice mail all week. He knows she's purposely hitting the ignore button because it only rings twice before her stupid, cheery recorded message comes over the line. He's left her several messages so it's not like she doesn't know he's sorry. He's probably said it thirty-seven times in the course of only six days. She's got to call him back eventually, right?

He isn't really sure at this point. Rachel Berry can hold a grudge like no other and it's one of her best and worst qualities. He wasn't planning to head back up to New York during Spring Break but if Rachel hasn't caved by then and forgiven him, it might be the only way to hear from her. She can't exactly avoid him if he's sleeping on her living room floor.

His Jew-God doesn't completely hate him because Kurt answers his phone on the third ring.

"Good, Hummel, you answered," Puck sighs. "I need to talk to Rachel."

"I don't think I can be of any help," Kurt replies steadily. "Rachel's kind of blacklisted you, but don't worry, I'm sure she'll get over whatever horrible thing you did by Valentine's Day. No girl wants to be without the man she loves on V-Day."

"Hummel, what the _fuck_ are you talking about," Puck groans. "I didn't do anything to Rachel. I mean, I forgot to call her back but I don't really think that warrants her blocking me from her life."

"Okay, listen, Puckerman, I'm going to give you some advice because I genuinely think you didn't mean to mess this up. Rachel isn't a normal girl. She's guarded right now and she isn't going to just come out and tell you how she feels. When a girl calls you while she's in her pajamas and its midnight, you don't hang up on said girl. You do whatever the hell you can to stay on the phone with her. Who knows, maybe Rachel Berry is really good at phone sex. Unfortunately, I don't think you'll ever have another chance to find that out."

"Hummel." Puck lets his head fall back against his headboard. "What the hell are you trying to say? You can't say Rachel and sex in the same sentence and expect my thoughts not to drift."

"I'm saying," Kurt tells him quietly, "maybe you don't have to drift."

Puck squeezes his eyes shut tight when he realizes Kurt hung up and he tosses his phone to the foot of the bed. He really doesn't have time for all these mind games. Why couldn't Rachel be simple and just tell him how she feels instead of continuing this stupid dance they have going. When he thinks about it, he's kind of glad Rachel isn't simple. It's one of the many reasons he doesn't want to drift anymore.

*/*

"How'd the audition go?" Kurt asks when Rachel trudges through the apartment door. "Not good?"

"My nose is too big," She complains. "I'm not thin enough. They want someone blonde, bigger boobs. I won't go down on the producer. It's ridiculous the excuses I hear for why I'm not good enough." She plops back on the couch beside Kurt and steals some of the popcorn he's eating while watching one of the movies from his Audrey Hepburn Collection.

"Oh, sweetie," He sighs and pauses 'Funny Face.' "I'm sure your big break will come soon enough."

"It's harder than I thought it would be," She admits. "I thought I would come to New York and everyone would see how amazing I am. But there's always someone who has a better range or someone who can act better. I don't know what I'm doing anymore, Kurt."

"He called me today." Kurt squeezes her hand and stands up. "You should call him back."

He walks away then and Rachel watches him go. She knows he's right but she doesn't want him to be. But she goes into her room anyway and dials the number. It only rings once before he picks up and she's grateful.

"You called?" He answers and she bites into her lip. "Rachel?"

She's quiet for a few seconds before she takes in a shaky breath. "I'm sorry I've been avoiding you recently."

"It's been six weeks, Rachel. It's been more than just recently," He tells her.

"I know." She pushes past the tears threatening to spring up. "I went to another audition today. It was my fifth one this month. I don't think I'm good enough for this city, Noah. In Lima, I was this rarity but here I'm just another face and another voice."

"Rachel." It was only one word but it was enough for Rachel to stifle a sob with the back of her hand.

"I need to see you," She whispers.

"Rachel," He repeats her name and it sounds like a plea, making her stomach feel funny.

"I didn't want to ignore your calls but I didn't know what to say to you," She says to him. "I didn't even know how I felt. I still don't, but… I do know I want you. And I want you to want me back."

"Three weeks," His voice is quiet. "You'll see me then."

Three weeks from now is Spring Break. That means he's coming to New York to see her. She wipes away the tears and sniffles quietly. "Promise?"

She holds her breath until his voice is on the line again. "Promise."

*/*

Puck didn't realize it would take so long to get to New York. He spent the first three days of his break at his Ma's because she was bugging him about coming home. It wasn't that bad and he hung out with his sister a lot. Going away to college and barely seeing his family kind of makes him realize how much he loves his mom and sister.

So, yea, it was great, but he really just wants to get up to New York and see Rachel. The only problem is that there's a freak rain storm in Columbus and the planes are all delayed because of the wind. Airport chairs? They aren't very comfortable. Especially since Puck has been at the airport since seven o'clock this morning and it's starting to get dark outside. The lady behind the counter isn't that helpful when she tells him to just be patient and that the plane is delayed until tomorrow.

He's beyond pissed at this point so he calls Rachel and tells her what's going on in Ohio. He can tell she's trying not to sound disappointed when she says to get a hotel room for the night. It sounds a lot better than staying at the airport so he takes her advice and pulls out his laptop as soon as he's settled in the airport hotel room. Puck's pretty glad that Rachel doesn't have classes today because they skype for a little while before she tells him she's going to dinner with Kurt and his new boyfriend.

She laughs when he pouts but decides to let him help pick out an outfit and he grins when she changes in front of the webcam. His chest tightens when she blows a kiss to the camera and then the screen is black.

He messes around for a little while and even types out some stupid paper for his politics class that's due next week. Rachel texts him later, around ten, and he's half-asleep but he wakes up enough to realize that she's either drunk or really horny. Maybe both. Whatever, he can't sleep after what he just read so he quickly hits the appropriate number on his speed dial and waits for her to answer. He grins to himself when her words aren't slurred at all and he can hear her locking her bedroom door before slipping out of the dress he told her to wear tonight.

Puck chuckles to himself after they hang up a little while later and makes a mental note to tell Hummel that he was right. Rachel's pretty damn great at phone sex.

*/*

Puck's barely been in New York for twenty-four hours and he's already fucked up majorly. To be fair, it's not completely his fault. Rachel knows she gets flirty when she's drunk and she also knows Puck gets jealous easily.

He's talking to Kurt's new boyfriend, Levi, when he glances over to see Rachel giggling at the bar. It would have been fine but some douche has his hand on her knee and he's sitting just a bit too close for Puck's comfort. Puck excuses himself from the booth and Kurt mumbles an 'uh-oh' under his breath.

"I thought you said you'd only be a second," Puck puts his hand possessively on Rachel's shoulder. It's enough to make the douche move his own hand off of Rachel's leg. "What are you doing over here?"

"We're talking," Rachel hiccups and her eyes are glazed over so Puck thinks she's more drunk than they both realized. "This is Zack."

"Uh-huh," Puck grunts and squeezes Rachel's shoulder. "Come on, Rach."

"But we're talking," Rachel pouts when Puck pulls her off the bar stool.

"Why don't you leave the lady alone?" Zack suggests with a smirk. "Obviously, she'd rather be over here with me."

"Look, asshole, I'm her _boyfriend_," Puck snarls, glad that Kurt and Levi are pulling Rachel back when Zack gets up in his face.

Puck isn't expecting the punch to his nose and he really isn't expecting for the douche to hit that hard. Puck stumbles back a few steps before regaining his composure. He can vaguely hear Rachel gasping behind him as he swings out and catches the right side of Zack's jaw. It goes to hell after that and Puck decides to cut his losses instead of ending up in jail tonight.

He covers Rachel the best he can and pulls her out of the bar, Kurt and his date not far behind them. His breath is ragged when they finally reach Rachel's apartment building.

"You're bleeding," Kurt points out after telling his date goodnight.

Puck is sitting on the kitchen counter and Rachel's cursing at him in Yiddish.

"You were flirting with that asshole!" Puck snaps back. "He was touching you!"

"Whatever," Rachel rolls her eyes. "It was perfectly innocent."

"You're my girlfriend, Rach. You're not supposed to be hanging all over some other douche," Puck slides off the counter and clenches his fists together.

"Well, maybe I shouldn't be your girlfriend," Rachel whispers and the room is completely silent after the words slip out.

Puck waits for her to take that back but she just stares at him with this stony gaze until he's slamming the apartment door behind him as he storms out. Kurt holds his breath and turns to Rachel. She's got to go after him right. Instead, she turns slowly and walks into her room, a defeated look on her face.

*/*

"You came back," Rachel whispers when she finds Puck leaning against the kitchen counter later than night. "I thought you had left."

"I was going to," He tells her when she moves towards him. "Did you really mean that earlier?"

"I was mad." Rachel sighs quietly and peeks over at him.

"I was planning on getting shitfaced with some JD tonight and passing out in some slimy motel. "He shrugs slowly. "But I picked up some wine instead. Isn't that our thing?"

She looks at the bottle of her favorite wine beside him and grins because she knows that isn't cheap.

"I know you're mad at me but damn it, Rachel, I told you I wasn't good at this relationship thing." He steps closer to her and she holds her breath. "I'm not going to call every night to talk about your feelings. I don't send flowers if I fuck up and I definitely don't want to see you flirting with some douche in front of me. I'm possessive and I don't share. I'm an ass, you know that. You've always known that. I'm not going to change who I am just because I'm with you now. I'm not that kind of guy."

"You called me your girlfriend," She peeks up at him from under her lashes.

His lips are on her then, sliding along her jaw line before sipping at her lips. He pulls away slightly, as if to gauge her reaction, and she follows, leaning up until she's kissing him again. One of his hands tangle in her hair and she moans softly when he yanks so that her head is tilted back and he has a better angle at her mouth. She fists his shirt in her hands and pulls him closer as his tongue slips into her mouth.

They've kissed before, lots of times actually, but never like this. Every other time has been quick, harsh, and to the point. Now seems different, almost like they're both savoring it, wanting to make it last. And when they finally break apart, only because her lungs are completely void of air, he lets his forehead fall to her shoulder as she sucks in ragged breaths.

"I'm sorry," He whispers and she furrows her brow, her eyes slowly starting to flutter open. "I shouldn't have kissed you like that."

"Shut up," She demands and pulls his face back to hers. "Noah?"

"Hmm?" He tries not to get distracted by the way she pulls her bottom lip between her teeth.

"Can you take me to my bedroom now?"

He does and the bottle of wine is left sitting on the counter.

*/*

After, when they're lying together on her bed, she pulls the sheet over them and sighs. It wasn't exactly like she planned but she's pretty sure tonight was near perfect. Except for the whole bar thing. That was just a complete disaster. But now they've got almost everything worked out and she's pretty sure they're going to be okay.

"I'm going to miss you," She whispers into the dark of her room and she can feel his fingers tangling in her hair, something she found actually soothed her. "Noah?" He hums against the top of her head and her eyes fall shut. "I know we haven't really talked about this, _about us_, but I don't want you to go back to Ohio and get with some other girl. And I know it's selfish because you don't owe me anything and I know you don't like labels or to be tied down or whatever but… I won't be with anyone else. You don't have to make any promises or anything. I just wanted you to know how I feel."

It's quiet for a few minutes and she thinks maybe he fell asleep but then he's twisting them around so he's hovering over her and her breath goes.

"It's not selfish," He tells her seriously and she searches his face because she knows that the only thing he's going to say. She's right because then he's kissing her, long and deep, and the kiss says everything she knows he _can't_ say.

It's kind of perfect, the way she's wrapped up in his arms. She's been lying here for at least an hour, just listening to the sound of his even breaths. She doesn't want to fall asleep just yet because she knows he's leaving tomorrow. It's stupid but she feels as though he's leaving her. She knows he _has_ to go back. She also knows he would stay if he could and that's exactly why she knows the way she's feeling is stupid. He doesn't want to leave any more than she wants him to. She kind of loves him for it though because he's actually doing well with his classes even though he's been super stressed lately. And she knows it isn't cheap for him to keep flying back and forth between Ohio and here so she's pretty sure he's been working full-time, too.

She moves closer to him when he tenses and she wonders if he still has those dreams. The ones that used to make him jolt up in the bed when he was a kid. The ones after his dad left. A lot of people have moved in and out of his life but she doesn't want to be one of them. She doesn't want him to ever doubt the way she feels for him.

He whispers her name and she looks up to see him staring at her. "Why are you awake?"

"Thinking," She answers softly.

He grins. "About what?"

"You," She replies honestly and giggles when his fingers tickle her sides. "It's silly, isn't it?"

"What?"

"That we waited this long," She tells him and shrugs. "I mean, I know we couldn't be together during the whole Quinn and Finn mess we got pulled into, but before then, when we were younger and you used to pull on my ponytail and I would confuse you by using big words. I remember that day you threatened Jacob because he tried to kiss me at the JCC when we were 14."

"He tried to put his slimy hands on you," Puck frowns.

She laughs softly. "I think I've always cared about you, ever since that day. And it's silly because I never told you. And I think it would have been so much easier if I had. If I'd told you, I wouldn't have been wrapped up with Finn and you wouldn't have slept with Quinn because we would have been together. You and me."

"But didn't all that crap make for some great songs?" He teases and she smacks his arm playfully. "It's better this way, Rach. Heartbreak is good for a person. At least, that's what my mom always told me."

"I guess," Rachel nods. "When did you…?"

"When did I realize you were the bat-shit diva I wanted to spend the rest of my life with?" He asks. "The day you showed up at my house with 'I'm sorry' sugar cookies right after Beth was born and we just pigged out and played Super Mario Brothers in my living room."

She smiles at the memory and kisses him chastely. "You never told me."

"You weren't over Finn yet," He replies with a small shrug.

It's a weird explanation but it's enough for the both of them. She knows it's taken awhile for both of them but she thinks maybe this time they've got it right.

*/*

"You're coming back for graduation, right?" Rachel asks as she snuggles with Puck on her bed the next morning.

"I wouldn't miss it," He tells her and kisses her forehead.

His flight doesn't leave until that afternoon so she's trying to spend as much time as possible with him before he leaves. Puck doesn't seem to have any complaints when she begins to kiss his jaw line tenderly and she twists her body so she is hovering over him.

They're still naked from last night but she doesn't care, she just wants the sheet between them to disappear. She hears the rumble in his chest when she plants open-mouthed kisses across his chest and his hands splay out over her back, pulling her closer.

"I have to leave soon," Puck sighs and shifts under her. "I should probably make sure all my stuff is packed."

"Later," She breathes the word out and grins at the way the muscles of his stomach react under her touch. "Are you ticklish there?"

"No," He lies.

"What about here?" She grinds her hips down onto him and he groans out her name.

"Baby," He chuckles. "As much as I love all this, and I really, _really_ do, my flight leaves at two and you know how long it takes to get through security at the airport."

"I don't want you to go," She knows she has a childish pout on her lips but she can't help it. "I want you to stay here with me forever and ever."

"Rach," His laughter fills her bedroom. "It doesn't work like that. I still have to finish this year out at Case and then I have next year." He pauses long enough to smooth out the wrinkle between her brows with his thumb. "But after that, maybe we'll figure something out. I mean, it's not like I'm going to let you run off into the sunset with some other asshole after all this."

"I didn't think you were the kind of guy that ran off into the sunset," She whispers.

"I'm not, but you're not the kind of girl that runs off into the sunset, either," He tells her seriously.

"Would you settle for being the guy that climbs up the stairs of a three story walk-up in Brooklyn?" Rachel ducks her head and pretends to be fascinated with tracing the planes of his stomach.

"Maybe." He pushes the hair back from her face and grins up at her. "Is that enough for now?"

"That's enough." She nods and raises her head to show him her mischievous smile. "But I do have one thing I want to do before you leave." She stands up quickly, pulling her robe tight around her small frame and gestures for him to cover himself with the sheet. "Come on."

*/*

"What was that?" Tina asks when Rachel and Puck stumble half-clothed past them and down the hall.

Kurt chuckles and reaches for his glass sitting on the coffee table before draining the last of the wine Puck bought last night. It's only a few seconds before they hear Rachel giggling and the shower turning on down the hall, and Kurt finally says, "_The Puckerman Effect_."

*/*

Thank you to everyone that has reviewed. This little two-shot it over so now I'm working on my other fics and I should be getting some of those chapters up soon.


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